


Birds of a Feather

by SloanGreyMercyDeath



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F, i love them together, it's a crossover!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:09:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29767725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SloanGreyMercyDeath/pseuds/SloanGreyMercyDeath
Summary: When Emily Prentiss' mother finds out she's working a case in Boston, she makes her attend a charity gala. At first, Emily is having a miserable time, but then she runs into Maura Isles. Her life gets a lot better after that.
Relationships: Emily Prentiss/Maura Isles
Comments: 3
Kudos: 40





	1. Reconnection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sao21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sao21/gifts).



> Thanks to Max5452 for helping me out with this!

Emily Prentiss hated going to her mother’s events. She hated having to wear extravagant ballgowns and high heels and too much make-up. This event was particularly painful. Especially because she was currently in the middle of a bad case in Boston, but her mother didn’t care about that. She only cared that Emily was in the same city and that Hotch wasn’t man enough to deny her request for Emily’s presence.

So, Emily was wearing a dark red gown that clung to her waist and hung heavily to the floor. She looked gorgeous which was kind of nice after wearing nothing but work clothes for months, but it was attracting the kind of attention she didn’t want. Emily had no interest in the men that kept glancing over toward her. If her mother saw her talking to any of them, she’d be married within the year.

As if her thoughts were heard, a blonde man with an arrogant smile started for her. She turned away and headed for the open bar. The ballroom they were in was huge and it would take him a moment to get to her. Hopefully, he’d get the hint.

The event she’d been forced to attend was a gala for a Boston-base childhood leukemia charity. It was a noble cause, and Emily had definitely donated to it, but she still hated having to spend five hours in a freezing cold ballroom when she could be at the police station working on the case. It was just a waste of an evening.

She tossed back the last of her Vodka Cranberry as she approached the lacquered mahogany bar. When she set the empty glass down, she met the pale green eyes of the cute bartender. The woman immediately excused herself from the conversation she was having with another patron and walked to Emily.

“Hi,” the woman said with a grin, “my name is Sarah. What can I get for you?”

“A Vodka Cranberry. I’m Emily.”

Sarah winked at her and set to work on making her drink. “Are you having a good time tonight?”

“I am now,” Emily answered, leaning against the bar. “How long are-“

“Hello.”

Wincing at the deep male voice, Emily took her drink from a disappointed Sarah and watched her walk down the bar to help someone else. Emily sighed heavily. This was the worst night she’d had in a while. Sipping her drink, she turned around to face the man who’d interrupted her.

“Hello,” he said again, smiling easily. He toasted her with his glass of scotch. “I’m Hunter.”

“Of course you are,” Emily mumbled. Pasting a polite smile on her face, she raised her glass to his. “Emily Prentiss. Nice to meet you.”

His eyes lit up. “Prentiss?” he repeated, sounding like he’d won a prize. “You’re the ambassador’s daughter.”

“Yup.”

He jumped into some spiel and she tuned him out. He could be trying to seduce her or trying to convince her to pass a message along to her mother. Either way, her response would be the same – A firm no.

As she ignored him, Emily looked around the ballroom. It was beautiful with white marble floors, tall pillars and a domed glass ceiling. Her eyes passed over a woman and jumped back to her, glad to have something better to look at then the walls.

The woman she’d noticed was absolutely stunning. Her strawberry blonde hair floated over her shoulders, curling ever so slightly. Her black gown clung to her like a second skin, accentuating her waist and hips before billowing out to the ground. When she turned to glance over her shoulder, she looked like she was walking on air.

Her green eyes met Emily’s and widened slightly. She looked familiar, but Emily couldn’t place her. Surely, she’d remember a face like that. A hand landed on her shoulder and Emily stiffened.

“Are you alright?” Hunter asked her, pulling her attention back to him. “You’re blushing.”

Emily gave him a tight smile, sipping her drink to avoid giving him a sharp answer. “I’m fine,” she answered after a moment. She shrugged his hand off. “Thank you for asking.”

He nodded, looking around the room to see what had distracted her. Emily glanced at the woman again, grinning when she waved. Waving back, Emily gestured with her head, hoping the woman would get her message and save her from the man who’d trapped her at the bar. Thankfully, the blonde seemed to understand and started toward them.

“This is a nice gala,” Hunter said absently. “Is your mother around?”

“I’m sure she is. I don’t think she’d leave without making me say goodbye.”

He started to reach for her again, but the arrival of Emily’s savior stopped him. Up close, the woman was even more beautiful, eyes shining with mirth as they met Emily’s. Gently laying a hand on Emily’s arm, the woman turned a vacantly pleasant smile on Hunter.

“If you’ll excuse us?” she said in a tone that left him no room to protest. He nodded. “Thank you.”

She waited for him to leave before turning and taking his place. Emily didn’t feel so trapped when it was a stunning woman keeping her at the bar. Raising an eyebrow, Emily chuckled.

“Impressive,” she murmured. “Will you teach me that?”

“It’ll cost you a drink.”

“Here? Or in my hotel room?”

The woman laughed easily, clasping her hands in front of her. “Wow! Normally, I’m the one being forward. Why don’t we have one here and then, maybe, you can come back to my house?”

“It’s a deal.” Emily looked at Sarah, catching her eye. “What would you like?”

“Merlot, please.”

Sarah nodded, hearing the request. Emily gave her attention back to the new woman. Holding out her hand, she smiled at how soft the woman’s skin was when they shook.

“Emily Prentiss,” she said, introducing herself. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Maura,” the woman offered. “Maura Isles.” Her glass of wine appeared on the bar and she reached around Emily to take it. “Hotel room? You don’t live in the city?”

Shaking her head, Emily took a drink, savoring the sweet taste on her tongue. “No, I live in DC. I’m in town for work and Mother requested my presence.”

“Ooh,” Maura chuckled. “I take that to mean you aren’t having a good time?”

“I haven’t been,” Emily admitted, “but I think that could change.”

Maura sipped her drink, eyes fixed on Emily over the rim. She swallowed, lips slightly red from the dark wine. “You look familiar.”

“You do, too!” Emily narrowed her eyes. “You haven’t committed any crimes, have you?”

“I have not,” Maura answered easily. She raised her eyebrows. “Are you implying that you’d seen me on a wanted poster?”

Shrugging casually, Emily licked her lips. “It’s always an option.”

“Well, I can assure you that I’m not a criminal. No, I think we’ve met some other way.”

Leaning toward the other woman, Emily let her eyes roam over her body, taking in her gentle curves and delicate features. The memory hit her, and she gasped. “School!”

Maura’s eyes widened and she delicately touched her fingers to her mouth. “Boarding school,” she agreed. “In Paris.”

“Wow,” Emily laughed, leaning against the bar. “That feels like so long ago.”

“You graduated in 1989, right?” When Emily nodded, she continued. “Wow…More than 20 years.”

Emily looked Maura over again. She remembered her now. Emily had been sent to boarding school after her abortion, and it was where she’d spent the last few years of her childhood. Maura had arrived the same year as Emily, but she’d only been 10. Their paths hadn’t really crossed, but they’d spoken a few times.

Maura had been teased mercilessly. The reason was lost now, at least to Emily, but she remembered protecting the younger girl a few times. She suddenly wondered what had happened to Maura when she’d graduated.

The blonde had certainly grown up in that time. She wasn’t a skinny little girl anymore. She was a beautiful, elegant woman. Maura was a beautiful, elegant woman who was definitely looking at Emily the same way. Well, the night had suddenly taken a turn for the better.

“I might stop fighting my mother so much,” Emily said with a chuckle. “Do you go to all of these events when they’re in Boston? I could find a way to attend them, too.”

Sipping her drink, Maura smiled. “I like to dress up. So, yes, I usually attend.” She reached out to brush a hand down Emily’s arm. “It would be nice to see you there.”

“Do you want to-”

Emily’s phone rang, startling them both. With a frustrated sigh, she dug into the hidden pocket in her dress and pulled it out seeing Hotch’s number. Just like that, she knew her night was over. So much for it being good.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized to Maura. “I have to go.”

“Of course,” Maura responded immediately. “Have a good night.”

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Emily walked into the Boston Police Department, hiding a yawn behind her hand. She’d met up with her team at a crime scene the night before and then crashed in her hotel room. JJ caught her up on what she’d missed while she was away at the gala, but she knew that she’d still be behind everyone else.

So, she’d volunteered to talk with the Medical Examiner and see the body first thing. The ME hadn’t been at the crime scene the night before, apparently stuck at her own event. Emily wasn’t looking forward to meeting a new person, and having to sound like an intelligent person, on so little sleep. She was socially awkward at the best of times.

As she walked through the lobby of the Back Bay station, she noticed a small cafe and changed direction. Coffee was exactly what she needed right now. Her eyes landed on a chocolate croissant in the display case and she sighed happily.

“Good morning!” an older woman greeted her with a smile. Emily smiled back, stopping at the counter. “What can I get for you?”

“I’d love a coffee,” Emily answered, eyes dropping to the name tag that read ‘Angela,’ “and one of those chocolate croissants.”

Angela nodded easily and started preparing her order. “I haven’t seen you around before, but you’re clearly a detective. What brings you here?”

Chuckling, Emily pulled out her wallet. “I’m FBI, actually. I’m with the Behavioral Analysis Unit. We’re working on a case with this station.”

“Oh…” Angela set a scone in front of her and got her a styrofoam cup for coffee. “That sounds fancy! Have you met Jane Rizzoli? Sorry!  _ Detective  _ Rizzoli?”

“I have,” Emily answered with a laugh, handing over a ten dollar bill. “She’s great. Do you know her?”

“I’m her mother!” Angela told her cheerfully. She quickly made change and handed it back. “You let me know if she gives you any trouble. She can be too stubborn for her own good.”

Emily loved Angela immediately. She was exactly the loving, warm type of mother that Emily would love to have. Taking the plastic box with her scone and the paper cup over to the coffee counter, she grinned over her shoulder.

“I’ll tell her you say so!”

“Good,” Angela shot back. “If she knows I’ve got a spy, she’ll be on her best behavior.”

Shaking her head, Emily filled her cup, waved goodbye to Angela, and headed for the elevators. Detective Rizzoli had been great so far. The BAU had only been in town for a day or so, but the BPD was more than helpful and they were great to work with. Unfortunately, most of their time so far had been out in the city looking at bodies, or interviewing family members.

As she stepped out into the bullpen, Emily headed for Detective Rizzoli’s desk. “Good morning,” she greeted, setting her scone down on an empty bit of space. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“You’re fine,” Rizzoli told her, tossing her pen onto the desk and falling back into her seat. “So, you met my mother?”

“I did,” Emily confirmed before taking a sip of coffee. “She said to tell you that you’re too stubborn for your own good, that I’m spying for her, and that I’m supposed to report any trouble you give me.”

Rizzoli rolled her eyes dramatically, flicking up her middle finger at Detective Frost when he laughed. “That sounds about right. Too stubborn,” she snorted. “That woman is too  _ nosy  _ for her own good.”

“Don’t worry,” Emily chuckled, “I’ll make it a positive report.”

“Ha. Thanks.” With a heavy sigh, Rizzoli rolled herself away from her desk and gestured to the elevators. “You wanted to see the body, right?”

Emily nodded and they headed down to the morgue to meet with the ME and learn the results of the autopsy. Honestly, Emily was surprised at the quick turn around. She’d left the crime scene around 11pm and it was only seven now. They’d probably have to watch the last bit of the autopsy, but Emily didn’t mind. She wasn’t exactly squeamish.

“Hey,” Rizzoli said as the elevator doors opened, “a couple things.” She led Emily off the elevator, but stopped in the hallway and turned to Emily. She suddenly looked stern and wide awake, the opposite of her attitude a moment ago. “Our ME is a little different than most people you’ll meet around here and I need to know that you’ll be cool.”

“Oh, uh…” Emily shrugged, not sure what that meant. “I’m not judgmental.”

“She’s just…” Rizzoli crossed her arms, sighing. “She’s not great at talking to strangers, and she’s sensitive to rudeness. I want to warn you that she can ramble, but also - if you’re rude to her, I’ll kick your whole team out.”

Emily smiled at the anger that laced the message. “I’m very familiar with the type. Don’t worry. I’m not one of those people. I’m sure you’ve met a few, but I’m not like that. I’ll be respectful.”

Searching Emily’s face for sincerity, Rizzoli decided she liked what she found and nodded. “Ok. Thanks.”

They walked down the hall and into the autopsy room. Emily smiled when she saw the ME bent over the body. She was mostly covered, with latex gloves, goggles, and a large apron. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied up in a bun.

Emily stopped short when the woman looked up and their eyes met. Rizzoli didn’t notice and kept walking forward. She gestured between them.

“Maura, this is-”

“Emily?” Maura lifted her goggles onto the top of her head and grinned. “What are you doing here?”

Blinking, Emily shook herself and laughed. “I’m here to see the dead guy.”

“Samuel?” Maura asked, glancing at him. “You know Samuel? I’m sorry for your loss.”

“I’m with the BAU,” Emily clarified, shoving her hands into her pockets. “I’m working this case.”

Maura’s eyes lit up and she excitedly held up the scalpel and tweezers in her hands. “You’re with the FBI? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It didn’t come up!” Emily laughed, shrugging. “I don’t exactly bring it up unprompted.”

“You should,” Maura told her. “It’s very impressive. I often tell people that I’m the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Chief Medical Examiner. It gets me a lot of respect.”

Emily raised an eyebrow. “Do I need to earn your respect, Maura? Do you respect me now that you know I’m Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss, instead of just Emily Prentiss from high school?”

Maura hesitated, before shrugging. “Well… Yes.”

Rizzoli cleared her throat, reminding both women that she was in the room. When they turned to look at her, she waved a questioning finger between them. “You two went to high school together?”

Emily nodded, looking at Maura before turning her focus to Rizzoli. “We went to boarding school together in Paris. I went to a charity gala last night with Mother and Maura was there.” Emily smiled at the blonde, warmth filling her chest as she said, “It was really good to see her again.”

“She’s never mentioned you,” Rizzoli said, frowning. “Maura tells me everything.”

“That’s because I hadn’t thought about her in years,” Maura spoke up, smiling back at Emily. We were a few years apart. I would have told you about her today.”

“Yeah?” Emily asked, slowly wandering toward the body and Maura. “Because you started thinking about me again?”

Maura just nodded. “Yes. I thought about you a lot last night. A beautiful woman is bound to stay on my mind.”

Caught off-guard by the honest admission, Emily blushed, eyes dropping to the floor. She’d thought about Maura in the short time they’d been apart, too. She wanted to learn who the young girl she knew had grown into. Was she still curious about everything? Did she still read a lot? Like documentaries? Emily wanted those answers and more.

Before she could say anything, though, Rizzoli cleared her throat. “Did you learn anything about the body, Maura?”

“Yes!” she answered quickly. “He was poisoned like the others!”

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The case wrapped up a few days later, and Emily found herself sad to go home. Usually, she was happy to hop back on the jet, nap on the plane, and then go back to her empty apartment. Now, though, she found herself having a final coffee with Maura in the District One Cafe, wishing they had some more time.

“I brought you some of those books we talked about,” Maura told her, sliding a comically full tote bag across the floor toward Emily. “I’ve annotated most of them, but I think it’ll enhance the experience, not diminish it.”

Emily smiled, hands tightening around her styrofoam cup. “I’m looking forward to reading them. Can I call you to talk about them?”

Nodding, Maura sipped her drink, eyes sliding away. Emily didn’t have to be a profiler to understand Maura’s body language. She was tense, cheeks flushed and hands tight around her cup. Emily could tell that they were both feeling unsure.

After meeting again at the station, the women had decided to take advantage of their reunion. They’d been fairly inseparable, talking constantly and spending their few moments of spare time together. It turned out that Maura wasn’t shy anymore, and the two women had sex at Maura’s house the last two nights.

It was honestly surprising how easy it had been to be together. Emily was used to relationships being difficult. It was so hard to make conversation, feel comfortable, understand how the other person worked, but Maura felt familiar.

Sure, there was a learning curve in dealing with her bluntness and inability to lie, but Emily liked how she could always take Maura’s words at face value. She didn’t have to search for ulterior motives, or worry that she was being played. Maura was exactly who she was and Emily  _ really  _ liked who she was.

Not to mention the fact that they had so much in common. They had such similar childhoods, then similar career paths, that it was fun to compare and contrast their lives. Of course, Emily had things she couldn’t share, but it seemed like Maura did, too. Emily wanted to learn all her secrets.

“When do you leave?” Maura asked quietly, setting her cup down. 

Emily swallowed. “The jet leaves in a little under an hour.”

“Oh.”

“Hey,” Emily tried, reaching across the table to take one of Maura’s hands in her own, “I know we just reconnected, but…” Her words trailed off as she couldn’t articulate what she wanted.

Maura chuckled. “I know, Emily. Why don’t you call me when you get home? We can stay in touch, hmm?”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Emily grinned. “Yes! I’d love that. I don’t want to lose you again.”

“You never lost me,” Maura told her, brushing her thumb over the back of Emily’s hand. “You just didn’t know you had me.”


	2. Reunion

Emily turned her car off and stared out her window at Maura’s house. She’d left DC after lunch to make the 7 hour drive to Boston, arriving just as the sky was turning pink and the sun was just beginning to set. The drive had been nice. Emily got so little time to herself that it was great to have a little bit of quiet time. However, the long, long silence had given her plenty of time to stew.

She and Maura had been together for a few months now, all of it long distance. Their jobs kept both of them busy, and they just hadn’t had the time to make the trip. Still, Emily really enjoyed talking with Maura. She was so smart, interesting, and funny. It still seemed like a wonderful turn of fate that they’d reconnected.

A part of her felt silly for trying to make a long distance relationship work, or any relationship, really. She didn’t have any experience with relationships, not real ones, and Maura seemed so experienced. Despite her awkwardness as a teenager, Maura had dated a few people as an adult. It was certainly more experience than Emily had.

The last time they’d seen each other had been on a case. What if they only worked in person when there was work to do? Phone calls, texts, emails, and a few Skype calls didn’t really tell them if they’d work without a case between them. She hoped this weekend would show her if they were good together, or not.

With a heavy sigh, she stepped out of the car and quietly closed the door behind her. After she took her go-bag from the backseat, she locked it, steeling herself. There was nothing scary about this weekend. She was  _ excited,  _ not  _ nervous _ . 

Nodding decisively, Emily walked to the front door and knocked with false confidence. She shifted her weight as she waited for Maura to answer the door. Thankfully, the door was yanked open a moment later and Maura leapt into Emily’s arms and she staggered backward as she tried not to fall over under the sudden weight.

“Emily!” Maura said cheerfully. “You’re here!”

“I’m here!” Emily replied with a laugh. She let her bag fall to the ground with a thump so she could hold Maura up with a hand under her and another around her waist. “Ugh, I missed you.”

Maura leaned back enough to kiss Emily, her lips soft and warm. Just like that, Emily’s worries melted away. Delicate hands tangled in her hair and Emily smiled into the kiss. It was easy to be with Maura and the kiss reminded Emily of that. They’d spent so little time together before becoming long distance that Emily had almost forgotten about the chemistry they had. She and Maura clicked. They worked well together.

“Come inside,” Maura said, sliding down Emily’s body. She straightened her clothes before gesturing toward the house. “Jane, Angela, and Frankie are here.”

“Oh.” Emily smiled, trying not to feel disappointed that she wouldn’t get to be alone with Maura. “Ok. It’ll be nice to see them again.”

She grabbed her bag off the ground and followed Maura inside, closing the door behind herself. Maura’s house was as nice as she remembered, impeccably decorated and clean. Jane and Frankie were sitting on the couch as a sports game played on the television. Angela was in the kitchen, cooking something that smelled amazing.

“Emily!” Angela said from the kitchen, putting the lid on a pot so she could hurry around the kitchen island with her arms outstretched. “Come here!”

Dropping her bag beside the couch, she grinned and hugged Angela. She was genuinely happy to see the older woman again. Angela had been nothing but nice to Emily while she was here before. Emily had made sure to get coffee and a pastry every day. It seems like she still approved of her.

“It’s good to see you, Angela,” Emily chuckled, pulling away. “I was worried that I wouldn’t get to see you!”

“Of course, you’d see me!” Angela playfully smacked her shoulder and went back to the stove. “Maura’s family, and that means you are, too!”

For some reason, that really hit Emily and she had to look away before anyone could see her blush. Her mother was distant, only talking to her when she got something from it, and she didn’t talk to her father at all. It was nice, if odd, to have a maternal figure accept her so easily. A hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up to meet Maura’s eyes.

“I know,” Maura whispered, winking. “Me too.”

Emily wanted to kiss her, but she wasn’t sure if that was something the rest of the  _ family  _ would approve of. So, she just nodded and smiled back before turning to look at Jane and Frankie who hadn’t moved from their places on the couch.

“Hey, guys,” Emily greeted with a wave. “Good to see you.”

Frankie toasted her with his beer. “Hey.”

Jane looked at her with narrow eyes, but nodded and waved back. “Hey. How was the drive?”

“Long,” Emily answered, shrugged. She looked at Maura again and grinned. “But worth it.”

“Let’s put your stuff in my room,” Maura said, jumping forward to take Emily’s bag.

With a laugh, Emily stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and leaned down to pick up her bag herself. “I’ve got it. Lead the way.”

Maura took Emily’s hand and led her to her room. Like the rest of the house, it was clean and neat, but there were a few more personal touches here. Cute, teal-colored pillows had been carefully placed on the bed and they matched the curtains and the soft rug. A few pieces of art that Emily recognized as very expensive hung on the walls.

What caught her eye, however, was a framed picture of Emily on the bedside table. It was one she’d sent on a whim, nothing she’d expected Maura to latch onto. The photo was of Emily standing on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by the beautiful Colorado mountains. She’d asked JJ to take it, knowing that the blonde was the only one of the team that wouldn’t tease her for wanting to send her girlfriend a cheesy picture.

Apparently, Maura really liked it. So much so that she’d put it where she’d see it every time she went to sleep. Emily thought about the times they’d had phone sex and wondered if Maura had been looking at the picture. Emily usually looked at her own beside photo. It was one of Maura at work, taken by Susie when the other woman hadn’t suspected. She loved it.

“Emily?” Maura asked, appearing beside her and laying a gentle hand on her arm. “Are you ok?”

Nodding, Emily tossed her bag onto the bed. She turned quickly and pulled Maura toward her, burying her face in the other woman’s neck and breathing deeply. She felt long arms wrap around her shoulder and smiled.

“I missed you.”

“We talk every day,” Maura replied.

Emily sniffed, nuzzling against soft skin. “It’s not the same. I mean, I’m happy to talk to you. I love it a lot, but I’ve wanted to hold you again.”

“Oh.”

Maura kissed Emily, hands tangling in Emily’s hair. After so long apart, neither of them could keep their hands to themselves. Emily slipped her hands under Maura’s blouse, splaying them across a soft stomach. Maura’s skin burned against hers and Emily opened her mouth to deepen the kiss.

She knew that they couldn’t go too far with the Rizzoli family in the living room, but Emily craved Maura’s touch too much not to sneak a little pre-dinner appetizer. She moaned when Maura’s hands tugged on her hair, gripping her hips and pulling her closer. When her hands drifted down to the button of Maura’s pants, she tore herself away.

“Wow,” Emily muttered, running her fingers through her bangs.

“I’ve missed that, too.” Maura stepped forward to lightly kiss Emily again before pulling away and cupping the brunette’s face. She smiled fondly. “I’ve missed that, too.” Her eyes crinkled with mirth. “I saw that look on your face out there and don’t worry - They’re only staying for dinner.”

With that, Maura kissed her one final time and led her back out into the living room. Emily saw Angela laying food out on the dining table and her eyes widened. She was suddenly glad that she’d worn leggings for the long drive, so she could eat as much as she wanted. 

Jane was already at the table and her eyes fixed on Emily as soon as they reappeared. Emily was sure that she was in for a talk at some point, but Jane would definitely wait until Maura wasn’t around. Despite knowing how awkward that talk was going to be, Emily was glad to know that Maura had friends who looked out for her.

Emily and Maura headed for the table, too, but something caught Emily’s eye and she looked down to see a large tortoise in the living room. It had been sitting on the far side of the couch when she entered, so she hadn’t seen it. Grinning excitedly, Emily squatted down beside him and trailed a finger over his shell.

“This is Bass?” she asked, looking up at Maura. “He’s so handsome.”

“He’s a tortoise,” Frankie told her, walking around them to the dinner table. “Don’t call him a turtle, or Maura will have your head.”

Emily gave him a mock-salute. “Yes, sir.” She sat down, spreading her legs around him. “He’s a… Spurred African Tortoise, right?” Looking up at Maura, she smiled when she saw Maura’s cheeks flush. “That’s what you said, right? He likes British Strawberries? Do you have any? I want to win him over.”

Flustered, Maura couldn’t answer, but she nodded and went to the fridge. Emily glanced at Jane, seeing approval in her eyes. The detective nodded sharply and Emily nodded back.

“Here you go.” Maura handed down a strawberry. “Just put it down in front of him and he’ll eat it.”

Emily followed her instructions, placing the strawberry on the group. All her focus narrowed to Bass and she just watched him slowly eat the strawberry, mesmerized by the way his sharp little mouth tore it apart. After a while, she looked up to see the other four people in the house sitting at the table watching her.

“Oh my god,” she muttered, climbing to her feet. Her face burned with embarrassment and she hurried to the sink to wash her hands. “I’m so sorry! I- He’s so cute!”

“Oh, great,” Jane snorted. “Another weirdo who thinks turtles are good pets.”

“Tortoises,” Maura and Emily said at the same time.

Their eyes met and they giggled together. Emily dried her hands, going to the table and sitting between Angela and Maura at the corner of the table. Emily wasn’t surprised to see that Angela sat at the head of the table, being the matriarch.

They ate dinner slowly, making conversation and telling stories. Jane had known Maura for years and Emily was thrilled with all the stories of Maura’s encyclopedic knowledge getting them out of (and into) trouble. In exchange, Emily told a few stories about Reid and  _ his  _ nerd speak.

By the time they were finished, Emily was feeling much more comfortable around the family. Jane seemed to have relaxed, Frankie was laughing freely, and Angela kept trying to make Emily eat more. It was exactly like she’d imagined real family dinners to go. It was even better with Maura at her side.

Eventually, they ran out of things to eat and talk about and started cleaning off the table. With five of them, the dishes were cleared from the table, rinsed off, and put into the dishwasher in no time. When they were done, Jane and Frankie began the work of trying to get Angela out of the house.

“Did you like the gnocchi?” Angela asked Emily, even as she was gathering her purse and coat. 

“I loved it,” Emily assured her with a smile. “You’ll have to teach me how to make them some time. If it’s not a secret recipe?”

Angela’s face lit up. “I can teach you! Actually, how about-”

“Ma!” Jane whined, tossing her hands up. “Come on! You know they wanna spend time together.”

“Oh! Sorry!”

Angela waved goodbye and left with her children. The door closed behind him, and Emily suddenly realized that she and Maura were alone. The house was quiet and still after the whirlwind of the Rizzolis. She swallowed nervously and looked at Maura.

The other woman was practically vibrating with energy, but Emily couldn’t tell exactly what type of energy it was. She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. Maura leaned a hip against her counter.

“So…” Maura shrugged a shoulder, hair bouncing as she tossed her head. “Is it too forward to ask for sex now?”

“Not at all,” Emily laughed, crossing the room toward her girlfriend. “Let’s go!”

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Emily swung her legs lazily as she sat on an empty autopsy table and watched Maura work. “You know,” she said thoughtfully, “I don’t usually get to watch this happen. I just show up for the results.”

“You learn a lot by watching the process,” Maura told her, smiling behind her plastic face shield. “You get information faster, too.”

“I’d attend more autopsies if all Medical Examiners looked like you.”

Maura frowned, brow drawing down. “That’s impossible. Well, statistically, there are seven people in the world that look exactly like me. And you.” She grinned at Emily. “Imagine if you’d met one of them at the gala instead of me. What a coincidence!”

Emily’s stomach warmed as Maura giggled to herself. The other woman was a veritable fount of knowledge and Emily loved listening to her and her jokes. She was funny in an informative way, confident in her intelligence and leaning fully into everything she said and did. Emily could only hope that some of that confidence rubbed off on her.

“That’s funny,” Emily told her. “I could send my twin to a gala in my place.”

Maura rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “I doubt that would fool your mother. Even she would notice that you weren’t there. Besides, who says your twin would want to go?”

“A good point. I wouldn’t want my twin taking you as her date anyway,” Emily chuckled. “That’s a privilege only I enjoy.”

Smiling, Maura turned back to the body on her table. “It’s nice to have someone here while I’m doing this. I like talking to the dead, but sometimes it’s nice to talk to the living, too.”

Emily sighed softly, picking at her fingernails. Maura sounded happy to have her, but Emily could detect the hint of sadness in her voice. She was alone a lot of the time, hanging out with people who couldn’t tease her. Emily remembered how often she got made fun of in school.

“Hey,” she said quietly, crossing her ankles to stop herself from kicking her feet, “did you always want to be an ME?”

“Pretty much,” was the casual answer. “I think the human body is fascinating, but living ones move too much. Dead ones are easier to examine.” She looked over her shoulder at Emily. “I know that’s weird.”

“I don’t think it’s weird.” Smiling, Emily hopped off the table and stuck her hands in her pockets. “I get it. People are complicated.”

“Exactly. People are complicated.”

They smiled at each other, letting the understanding sit between them. Emily was used to her own team. All of them, with the exception of Reid, were better at socializing than her. It was really nice to be close to someone who understood her work, her anxieties, and her interests.

The door to the morgue opened and Jane stuck her head in. She met Emily’s eyes and jerked her head, gesturing for Emily to follow her. Raising her eyebrows, Emily flashed Maura a smile and followed Jane out into the hallway.

“What’s up?” Emily asked, crossing her arms. “Is everything ok?”

Jane glared at her, hands on her hips as she shifted angrily. “What are your intentions with Marua?”

A startled laugh ripped from Emily’s mouth and she shook her head. “Is this the shovel talk?”

“I’m Maura’s family,” Jane snapped, baring her teeth as she tried to be threatening. “It’s my job to make sure that she’s taken care of and not being used.”

“Used?” Emily repeated, frowning. “Why would I use her?”

“I don’t know! There are a lot of reasons!” Jane sputtered for a moment as she tried to pull a few out. “You could want to cozy up to someone in power. You could just want to have sex with her. You could just want her money!”

Emily took a deep breath and told herself not to be insulted by what Jane was saying. It was great that Maura had a friend like this. Emily was sure that when she eventually introduced Maura to the team as her girlfriend, one (or all) of them would have a similar talk with the doctor.

“Ok,” Emily sighed, dropping her hands to her side. “I know that this talk is important and that you want what’s best for her. Maura is really special, and she endears this kind of loyalty. She deserves a friend like you to watch out for her. I’m not going to argue with you about that.” Emily awkwardly brushed a hand through her bangs. “I’m… I like Maura a lot. I like how smart she is, how much she talks, the way she sees things differently. We’re a lot alike, but she’s also just… better than most people, you know? I’m happy to spend time with her and I can’t say that this is forever, but I’d really like us to have a chance. I think I could fall in love with her.”

Jane looked surprised at Emily’s honesty and her hands fell from her hips. “Oh. Well. Good.” She cleared her throat, nodding and looking away. “Maura speaks really highly of you, too. You, uh, it’s nice for her to have someone like you.”

“And it’s nice for her to have someone like  _ you _ .” Emily smiled at Jane, feeling relieved when the other woman gave her a tentative smile back. “I’m not going to try and come between you, and I’m definitely not looking to take her away. We’re just… I don’t know. We’re talking and getting to know each other and it’s really great. I hope that we can keep doing that.”

“Me too,” Jane said quietly. She shoved a hand through her curly hair. “I really am glad that you’re together,” she added. “I barely know you and you’re already better than most of the people she’s dated.”

Emily laughed. “I can only hope so. I’ve heard some stories…”

They grinned at each other and Jane rolled her eyes, patting Emily’s arm. “Alright, get back in there. I’m sure she’s got exciting news about his spleen.”

“Ooh,” Emily chuckled, “my favorite organ!”

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The night before Emily had to leave again, they stayed up to talk in the dark bedroom, bodies tangled together under soft sheets. Emily wanted to stay cocooned in the smell of Maura’s shampoo forever. With their work schedules, they didn’t know when they would find time to be together again.

Emily didn’t like not knowing, but she found comfort in the anxiety. Her worry just proved how much she cared about Maura and how real the relationship was. She’d never been so reluctant to leave a lover before. That meant something.

“Do you have to go?” Maura asked, pressing her face into Emily’s chest. “You can’t stay any longer? Miss another case?”

Emily just shook her head, doing her best to keep it together. “I don’t think so, Maur. It was hard enough to get this time.”

The blonde lifted her head to look at Emily. “It feels like I already miss you. Is that normal?”

“It is,” Emily confirmed. She wiped a stray piece of hair out of Maura’s face and tucked it behind her ear. “I already miss you, too.”

“Did you have a good time?”

“I had a great time.”

Maura chewed on her lip for a moment, staring into Emily’s eyes. “Maybe next time, I can visit you?” Her eyes widened. “That is… If you want me to visit you? If you want to keep seeing me. I know I can be a lot and most people get tired of me, so don’t feel obliga-”

Emily cut her off with a kiss, cupping her face with one hand. She tried to pour all her emotion into the kiss, tried to let Maura know that she wasn’t tired of her at all. It would be impossible to get tired of Maura. Emily decided to tell her that.

“I really like listening to you talk, Maura,” she whispered. “You’re so smart and you make every fact sound interesting and fun. It’s amazing how you find wonder in the smallest things. Nothing, no matter how small, is insignificant to you. I wish I could see the world like that.”

Maura blinked at her, cheeks blushing a dark red. Her eyes watered, but she brushed her tears away with a trembling hand. “Emily…”

“You’re beautiful,” Emily continued, closing her eyes to hold back her own tears. “Everything is good with you. It’s like the world is lighter than it was before. I don’t know if that makes any sense. I’m just… rambling, sorry.”

“It makes perfect sense,” Maura said quickly, cupping Emily’s face. “I feel the same way. Well, not exactly. I know I can be naive or confused, but you’re so grounded and patient. I’m always surprised when you listen to me, but it’s nice to know that someone wants to hear my thoughts. I like listening to you, too. You ask such great questions, and you always make me think in new ways.”

She kissed Emily deepily, pushing her body against her girlfriend’s and letting the other woman hold her in place. Emily really felt like Maura was here with her, like she was real. All the distance made it feel like Maura wasn’t real sometimes, like she was some fantasy that Emily had made up in her mind.

When they were like this, kissing and close, Emily could feel the weight of her emotions in the weight of her girlfriend and it felt like possibility. Even though they were still long distance, Emily had a good feeling about them. This trip had only proved that they worked well together and that they could make this last.


End file.
